Binge-watched ‘Farzi’, made fake notes: How 6 men turned an OTT plot into 5-state crime syndicate
New Delhi: A group of young men looking to make quick money took a cue from popular fiction and landed straight behind bars. Rajasthan Police have cracked down on an interstate counterfeit currency ring operating across five states. Dubbed ‘Operation Notflix’, the crackdown led to the arrest of six individuals involved in manufacturing and supplying fake Indian currency notes.
The operation came to light on September 29 when Dungarpur Police intercepted two locals, Bhavesh Khatik and Nayan Joshi, near the Mada School Ground in Rajasthan. Officers seized fake currency notes with a face value of Rs 4,95,500 from their possession. During initial questioning, the duo spilt details about a much larger supply chain stretching far beyond state borders.
Investigators discovered that the syndicate drew direct inspiration from the web series ‘Farzi’. The accused relied heavily on internet tools, turning to Photoshop and YouTube tutorials to master the design and printing process.
Digital files, Telegram channels, and cross-country arrests
To print convincing notes, the gang sourced materials from multiple online contacts. Police arrested Mohammed Arif from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, who allegedly procured specialised paper Telegram channel named ‘Ankit Paper Seller’. Another key player, Tarun Malekar, was picked up from Durg in Chhattisgarh for allegedly providing the core digital files used to replicate the Rs 500 note.
Meanwhile, the suspected kingpin, Ravi Kumar from Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, went on the run as soon as news of the initial arrests broke. According to Dungarpur Superintendent of Police Manish Kumar, the suspect frequently swapped mobile numbers and changed locations to dodge surveillance. However, a police team tracked him down roughly 1,300 kilometres away at Ludhiana railway station in Punjab.
Six accused in custody as probe widens
Another core conspirator, Anand Rajput from Ambala Cantt in Haryana, was also taken into custody after police identified him as one of the key minds behind the printing plan post-watching the series.
With all six accused now in remand, officers are tracing the full paper trail to evaluate how much counterfeit cash has already slipped into local markets.